System for chipping and moving ice

ABSTRACT

An ice chipper comprising a pair of cylindrical drums each mounted for counter-rotation about parallel, generally vertical axes. Each drum includes an outwardly rounded, disk shaped bottom surface and an auger flight spiraled helically about the outer cylindrical surface thereof. The auger flights each include a plurality of spaced, outwardly extending teeth to chip the ice abutting the front of the system. The chipper is mounted to the front of a tractor and each drum includes a hydraulic motor which is operated by a hydraulic pump also carried by the tractor. Rotation of the drums causes the auger teeth to chip the ice and tends to pull the drums forwardly while the auger flights carry the ice particles up and out away from the cleared area. Tilting the system forwardly and rearwardly upon the rounded drum bottom surfaces varies the depth of cutting in the vertical direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to ice removal and, more particularly, to an icechipping and removal system including a pair of vertical, rotatabledrums.

In the petroleum exploration and production industry it is oftennecessary to move men and equipment through relatively hostileenvironmental regions. In recent years the emphasis on oil productionfrom the far north has necessitated development of new techniques formoving materials through the Arctic regions.

In the Arctic, large regions are often covered by thick layers of iceand snow. As these layers move about, their edges override one anotherand form pressure ridges and hummocks in the ice. Hummocks are iceregions which are harder than the surrounding ice, have a very smoothouter surface and are formed when a pressure ridge heals itself throughyears of weathering. The arctic terrain is also shrouded by snow driftswhich collect against the pressure ridges. In order to conduct petroleumproduction activities in the Arctic it is desirable to level off thepressure ridges and other protuberances which contribute to an extremelyrough ice surface, for example, a smooth road surface must be formedthrough the rough ice in order to move vehicles and equipment across it.

One prior art system which has been used to smooth a path through therough ice includes a large, toothed drum rotatable about a horizontalaxis. The drum is supported on skids pushed by a large tractor and isrotated independantly from the bottom upwardly to undercut the ice. Themajor problem with such horizontal drum cutters is that when snow isencountered it is difficult to know what is beneath the snow, such aswhere the top surface of the ice is located. Since a rotating horizontaldrum cuts ice equally well in both the vertical and horizontaldirections, if the skids fall into a snow filled hole before therotation of the drum can be stopped it may cut all the way down throughthe ice and take the tractor and operator with it through the hole intothe underlying water. Needless to say, such systems have provendangerous to both men and equipment.

Prior art snow removal systems, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.1,615,461 to E. H. Lichtenberg, have sought to provide a pair ofvertical rotating cutters for flaking the snow and moving it toward theintake of a blower which throws the snow away from the roadbed beingcleared. While the Lichtenberg machine includes vertical rotatingcutters, it would not be adaptable for cutting ice because of the lackof cutting teeth and augers for removing the ice chips. Further, theLichtenberg cutters rotate toward one another to move snow into theblower while the present drums include overlapping teeth and rotate inthe opposite direction, away from one another, to produce a forwardlydirected force tending to move the machine through the ice.

Similarly, ice cutting equipment such as that shown in FIG. 1 of U.S.Pat. No. 3,696,624, entitled Bucket Wheel Ice Cutter, to John D.Bennett, the present inventor, employs counter-rotating bucket wheelsmounted on the front of a ship. Such marine systems are designedprimarily to cut through the entire thickness of a floating ice sheetand the cutting wheels do not include such features of the present drumcutters such as augers to remove ice chips from the path and a bottomdrum surface which prevents cutting in the vertical direction exceptwhen desired. Further, in the prior art cutter the paths of thecounter-rotating bucket wheels do not overlap in the region between thewheels to produce a forwardly directed force as in the system of thepresent invention.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved system for cutting and removing ice and, more particularly, forforming an elongate, relatively smooth path through a rough snow and icecovered terrain. The system of the present invention provides a moreefficient and relatively safe means for clearing a road through ice andsnow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a system for chipping ice and forming a paththerethrough including a pair of vertically oriented drums each havingteeth and an outwardly rounded bottom surface. Rotation of the drumswhile applying a forward force thereto chips the ice, augers the chipsout of the path and produce a forwardly directed force tending to pullthe drums through the ice.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a system for chippingand forming a pathway through ice which includes a pair of cylindricaldrums mounted for rotation about parallel axes. A plurality of spikesprotrude outwardly from each of the drums and the spikes on differentdrums intermesh with one another in the region between the drums whenthey are rotated. The drums are rotated in opposite directions away fromone another at the front to chip ice and tend to pull the drumsforwardly through the ice.

In still another more particular aspect the invention comprises a systemfor chipping and moving ice to form a pathway through rough icy terrainincluding a tractor for applying a forward force. An angular framehaving a top and a back member is attached to the front of the tractor.A pair of cylindrical drums having smooth downwardly rounded bottomsurfaces are mounted beneath the top member for rotation about parallel,generally vertical axes lying in front of the back member. An auger,including a plurality of flights, is spiraled about the outsideperiphery of each of the drums in opposite directions. A plurality ofspikes protruded outwardly from each auger flight on each drum. Eachspike on each flight lies in the same horizontal plane as another spikeon a different flight of the same drum. All spikes on one drum lie indifferent horizontal planes from all spikes on the other drum to permitintermeshing of the spikes without interference. The drums are rotatedin opposite directions, toward one another at the rear, to chip ice,auger the chips up and away from the system and tend to pull the drumsforwardly through the ice to form a pathway.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and forfurther objects and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ice cutting system of the presentinvention mounted on the front of a tractor;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the ice cutting system of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the ice cutting system of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the ice cutting system of the presentinvention forming a roadway through rough ice;

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of the ice cutting system of the presentinvention forming a roadway through rough ice; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of one of the drums, having the augerflights removed, and taken about lines 6--6 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a tractor 10 having the ice chippingand moving system of the present invention 11 mounted on the front. Thetractor 10 may be of a conventional type having endless tracks 12, anenclosed Cab 12 for operation in arctic regions and a rear platform 14which mounts an auxiliary motor driving a pair of hydraulic pumps 15,the function of which will be further explained below.

The ice chipper 11 includes a hollow angular frame 16 having a generallyvertical back member 17 and a generally horizontal top member 18. Thetractor 10 includes as pair of generally horizontal tooth bars 19 whichare attached to lower portions of the back member 17 by means of pivotalconnections 21. Top portions of the back member 17 are also attached tothe tool bars 19 at pivotal connections 22 and 23 through tiltinghydraulic cylinders 24. The tool bars 19 are attached to the front ofthe tractor 10 by lifting hydraulic cylinders 25. Operation of thehydraulic cylinders 24 tilts the frame 16 backward and forward about theconnections 21 while operation of the hydraulic cylinders 25 raises andlowers the entire frame 16. The cylinders 24 and 25 are actuated throughconventional control means on the tractor 10.

One of the motor driven hydraulic pumps 15 is connected to the icechipper 11 by means of a first pair of lines 26 and 27 while the otherpump is connected via a second pair of lines 28 and 29.

The ice chipper 11 includes a pair of cylindrical drums 30 and 31mounted for rotation about parallel, generally vertical axes. Each ofthe drums 30 and 31 comprises an auger having a plurality of flights, 32a-c and 33 a-c, respectively, spiraled about the outside surface. Theauger on one of the drums has a right-hand thread while the auger on theother drum has a left-hand thread so that both will lift ice chips andsnow when the drums are rotated in opposite directions toward oneanother. Each one of the auger flights 32 a-c and 33 a-c includes aplurality of downwardly extending spikes 34 located at the lower endthereof and a plurality of outwardly extending spikes 35 spaced alongthe length of the flights. On each one of the drums, the spikes 35 oneach auger flight track one another, i.e., each spike on each flight islocated in the same horizontal plane as another spike on each of theother two flights. The spikes 35 on different drums are located ondifferent horizontal planes so that the spikes will intermesh oneanother without interference when the two drums are rotated. Each of thespikes 34 and 35 comprise a tooth holder and an elongate, pointedcutting tooth which can be replaced if damaged. As best shown in FIG. 2,the drums 30 and 31 each include a smooth, outwardly rounded lower endsurface 36 for supporting the weight of the drums and for slidingsmoothly across the surface of snow and ice during operation. The spikes34 located at the lower ends of each of the auger flights 32 and 33extend downwardly into the same plane as the lowest portion of therounded end surfaces 36.

Referring next to FIG. 6, there is shown a partial cross-section andpartial cut-away view of one of the drums 30. The top member 18, of theangular frame 16 (FIG. 1), is preferably hollow to reduce the weight ofthe structural assembly and to provide an internal void 40 for storing areserve supply of hydraulic fluid. A circular opening 41 is formed inthe top member 18 to receive a hydraulic motor 42 which rotates thecylinder 30. The motor 42 may be of a type similar to the Model B400Shydraulic motor manufactured by the Staffa Motor Company of GreatBritain. The hydraulic motor 42 is coupled to one of the hydraulic pumps15 by means of the hydraulic fluid lines 26 and 27 which extend throughopenings in a bolt-on snow cover 43.

The drum assembly shown in FIG. 6 comprises the cylindrical drum 30which is fitted up into an overlapping annular ring member 44 and closedat the bottom by the rounded end surface 36. Located near the bottom ofthe drum 30 is a central hub 45 having an axial opening therethrough andwhich is attached at the top to a circular reinforcing plate 46 and atthe bottom to the rounded end surface 36. A support frame 47 includes acentral tube 48 and a plurality of vertically and outwardly extendingsupport webs 49. An annular recess 51 in the upper, inner portion of thetube 48 receives a top bearing assembly 52 while another annular recess53 in the lower, inner portion of the tube 48 receives a bottom bearingassembly 54. The bottom bearing assembly 54 is held in place within theannular recess 53 by a bolt-on retaining member 55. A driving pin 56includes a flared head 57 at one end and, at the other end, aninternally splined socket 58 and outer threads 59.

The support frame 48 is bolted to the undersurface of the top member 18and the bottom bearing assembly is placed within the annular recess 53and secured by the retaining member 55. The driving pin 56 is insertedup through the central hub 45, a lower sleeve member 61, the bottombearing assembly 54, a central sleeve member 62, the top bearingassembly 52 and a pair of retaining nuts 63 and 64. When the retainingnuts 63 and 64 are tightened on the external threads of the driving pin56, all of the parts surrounding the pin 56 are pulled into a rigidmechanism which will rotate as a single assembly on the bearings 52 and54 and turn the drum 30.

After the drum is assembled the hydraulic motor 42, which includes asplined drive shaft 65, is placed down into the opening 41 so that thedrive shaft 65 is received into the splined socket 58 to rotate thedriving pin 56. The motor 42 is then bolted into position, thesnow-cover 43 added and the two hydraulic fluid hoses 26 and 27 areconnected to the external couplings of the motor 42 to complete theassembly.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a top view of the ice removalsystem 11 of the present invention. The drums 30 and 31 are positionedrelative to one another so that the outermost paths of the auger flights32 a-c and 33 a-c are preferably separated from one another by adistance slightly greater than the length of one of the spikes 35. Theoutermost circumferential paths of the tips of the spikes 35 overlap andintermesh one another by a maximum distance which is preferably aboutequal to the length of one spike 35. As set forth above spikes 35 arepositioned on the augers 32 and 33 so that no two spikes 35 on differentdrums are located at the same height and, hence, there is no possibilityof interference between spikes 35 on different drums if one of the drumsis stopped while the other is still rotating. As can be seen from FIG.3, the outermost circumferential paths of the tips of the spikes 35 oneach drum 30 and 31 overlap one another in the region between the drums.

The engagement of the teeth 35 with ice in the regions extending fromthe front center of each drum around the outer periphery to a pointlocated on a common diameter line of the two drums produces a forcewhich tends to pull the drums in a forward direction through the ice.This forward force acts over a linear distance represented by the arrows71. The engagement of the teeth 35 with ice in the regions extendingfrom the front center of each drum around the inner periphery to thepoint of intersection of the outermost circumferential paths of the tipsof the teeth, produces a force which tends to push the drums in arearward direction. This rearward force acts over a linear distancerepresented by the arrow 72. Since the teeth act through a greaterdistance tending to pull the drums forward than the distance tending topush the drums rearward, there is produced a net forward thrust wherebythe drums tend to pull themselves forward through the ice and reduce thepushing force required by the tractor 10.

The system of the present invention is designed to cut through iceprimarily in the horizontal direction along a generally level gradeline. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the spikes 34 located at the lower endof each auger flight extend down to approximately the same horizontalplane as the bottom of the rounded end surface 36. Accordingly, if thedrums 30 and 31 are held with their axes of rotation vertical, they willcut in the horizontal direction on a level grade. If the drums 30 and 31are tilted forwardly, they will cut horizontally on a graduallydownwardly inclined grade. If the drums 30 and 31 are tilted rearwardly,they will cut horizontally on a gradually upwardly inclined grade. Thedrums may be readily tilted forwardly or rearwardly using the hydrauliccylinders 24. In no case however, will the drums cut ice in the verticaldirection without motion in the horizontal direction and thus eliminatethe possibility of accidentally losing control over the rotating drumsand cutting through the ice to underlying water.

In actual operation, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the auxiliaryengine and hydraulic pumps 15 are actuated to provide hydraulic fluidflow and rotate both the drums 30 and 31 at a chosen rate e.g., 100 RPM.As the drums are rotating, the tractor 10 is operated to apply a forwardforce and the drum spikes 34 and 35 chip the ice into particles. As theice is chipped into particles it is carried upwardly by the augerflights and dumped to the outside along with any snow which may be inthe path. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the system of the invention formsa path through rough ice the width of the drums and on a relativelylevel grade. In the event it is desirable to cut vertically deeper orshallower into the ice, the drums are simply tilted forwardly orrearwardly to vary the slope of the grade.

Having discussed the invention in connection with certain specificembodiments thereof, it is to be understood that further modificationsmay now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it isintended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for chipping ice and forming a pathwaythrough rough, icy terrain, comprising: a pair of cylindrical drumsmounted for rotation about parallel vertical axes, each of said drumsincluding a smooth, outwardly rounded lower end surface to support theweight of the drum; a plurality of spikes protruding outwardly from thecylindrical outside surface of each drum to engage and chip the ice, thecircular paths formed by the tops of the spikes when the drums arerotated being overlapping in the .[.regioon.]. .Iadd.region.Iaddend.between the drums; and means for rotating said drums inopposite directions to chip ice and pull the drums forwardly through theice to form a pathway along a generally level grade.
 2. A system forchipping ice and forming a pathway through rough, icy terrain, as setforth in claim 1, which also includes:means for applying a forward forceto said drums to increase the rate of ice cutting.
 3. A system forchipping ice and forming a pathway through rough, icy terrain, as setforth in claim 2, further including: an auger spiraled around thecylindrical outside of each drum, each of said augers including at thelower ends thereof a plurality of spikes extending downwardly to a planelevel with the rounded bottom surfaces of each drum; and also includingmeans for tilting said drums forwardly and rearwardly to vary the gradeslope of said pathway.
 4. A system for chipping ice and forming apathway through rough icy terrain, as set forth in claim 1, wherein:saidrotating means includes a hydraulic motor connected to each drum and ahydraulic pump connected to drive said motor.
 5. A system for chippingand forming a pathway through ice, comprising:a pair of cylindricaldrums mounted for rotation about parallel axes; a plurality of spikesprotruding outwardly from each of said drums, the spikes on differentdrums intermeshing with one another in the region therebetween when saiddrums are rotated; and means for rotating said drums in oppositedirections.[.toward.]. .Iadd.away from .Iaddend.one another at the frontto chip ice and tend to pull the drums forwardly through the ice.
 6. Asystem for chipping and forming a pathway through ice, as set forth inclaim 5, which also includes:an auger spiraled about the outside surfaceof each drum to lift and remove the chipped ice when the drums arerotated.
 7. A system for chipping and forming a pathway through ice, asset forth in claim 6 wherein each auger on each drum comprises aplurality of auger flights; andwherein said spikes are mounted to saidauger flights.
 8. A system for chipping and forming a pathway throughice, as set forth in claim 7 which also includes:means for applying aforward force to said drums to increase the rate of ice chipping.
 9. Asystem for chipping and moving ice to form a pathway through rough, icyterrain, comprising:a tractor for applying a forward force; an angularframe having a back member and a top member, said back member beingattached to the front of said tractor; a pair of cylindrical drumsmounted for rotation beneath said top member about parallel, generallyvertical axes lying in front of said back member, each of said drumshaving smooth downwardly rounded bottom surfaces; a auger, comprising aplurality of flights, spiraled around the outer periphery of each ofsaid drums, in the opposite direction; a plurality of spikes protrudingoutwardly from each auger flight on each of said drums, each spike oneach flight lying in the same horizontal plane as another spike on adifferent flight of the same drum and all spikes on one drum lying indifferent horizontal planes from all spikes on the other drum to permitintermeshing of the sikes without interference therebetween; and meansfor rotating said drums in opposite directions, .[.toward.]. .Iadd.awayfrom .Iaddend.one another at the front, to chip ice, auger the chips upand away from the system and tend to pull the drums forwardly throughthe ice to form a pathway.
 10. A system for chipping and moving ice toform a pathway through rough, icy terrain, as set forth in claim 9,wherein said means for rotating said drums includes;a pair of hydraulicmotors mounted within openings in said top member and having outputshafts connected, respectively, to rotate said drums; and a pair ofauxiliary motor driven hydraulic pumps carried by said tractor and fluidcoupled to drive said motors.
 11. A system for chipping and moving iceto form a pathway through rough, icy terrain, as set forth in claim 9,which also includes:a spike positiond at the lower end of each augerflight and extending downwardly to the level of the rounded drum bottomsurfaces; and means for tilting the back member of said angular frameforwardly and rearwardly to vary the grade slope of said pathway.